Installing Race Tech cartridge valve emulators, new triple rate springs, and rebuilding the damping rod forks on my 1991 KDX200.
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Link to the Fredette Racing Products fork damper holder: https://www.frpoffroad.com/fredette-racing-products-frp-fork-damper-holder-detail.htm?productid=-153479
Some affiliate links to the triple rate springs and cartridge emulators -
Springs - http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575590358&toolid=10001&campid=5338688291&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FRace-Tech-Triple-Rate-Fork-Spring-Kit-FRSP-3750K%2F261786426633%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%253AMEBIDX%253AIT%26_trksid%3Dp2060353.m2749.l2649
Cartridge Emulators - http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5575590358&toolid=10001&campid=5338688291&customid=&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FRace-Tech-Gold-Valve-Cartridge-Fork-Emulators-For-Damping-Rod-Forks-FEGV-4301%2F231491469003%3Fepid%3D171179495%26hash%3Ditem35e5f77ecb%3Ag%3A39EAAOSw5uxdHOhx
In this video, I rebuild the forks on my 1991 Kawasaki KDX 200, and while I had them apart, I installed Race Tech cartridge emulators (Part Number FEGV 4301) and new Race Tech triple rate springs (Part Number FRSP 3750).
This rebuild procedure is the same for 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992 KDX 200 models. 1993 and 1994, although considered 'E' generation KDX's, they use cartridge style forks, so the rebuild is a bit different.
Ideally, prior to removing the fork from the bike, break the fork caps loose. Remove the fork leg from the bike, remove the cap, and then remove the fork spacer and spring, then dump out the oil. Once the oil has been removed, remove the damping rod bolt, then the damping rod. Remove the fork seal retainer clip, and then use the fork tube and stanchion as a slide hammer to pop the fork seals out.
With the fork apart, clean EVERYTHING with brake cleaner or rubbing alcohol.
If you were just doing a fork rebuild, at this point, you'd just start putting everything back together, but, I can't leave anything alone.
To install the cartridge emulators, the damping rod and damping rod bolt each need to be modified to bypass the factory damping adjustment. The KDX has 23mm damping rods, so the compression holes on the damping rod need to be drilled out to 5/16", and one additional pair of compression holes. Rebound holes are NOT modified. The valving on the damping rod bolt also needs to be removed.
Once the factory damping adjustment is bypassed, fitment and set-up of the cartridge valve emulator can proceed. Fitment of the emulator must be checked to ensure it completely covers the damping rod. With the purchase of the cartridge valve emulators, you get a code that gives you ONE set-up on Race Tech's website. That set-up will tell you what color spring to install in the emulator, how many bleed holes it should have, and how many turns of pre-load.
Once the set-up is complete and all of the parts have been cleaned and inspected, the forks can be reassembled. Reinstall the damping rod, damping rod cap, and bottom-out spring, then the bushing, washer, inner fork seal, outer dust seal, and the retainer clip. Then re-install the damping rod bolt.
New fork spacers will then need to be cut, since the new springs and gold valves will be a different length than the old spring. Preload is measured from the underside of the cap to the top of the fork.
The next step is to set the oil level in the fork. This is done with the fork compressed, the gold valve IN, but the spring out. Race Tech calls for 10 wt oil.
Once the level is set, the spring, spacer, and cap can be reinstalled!